Folding crate or coop



Jan. 8, 1 929.

. R. GARBS FOLDING CRATE OR COOP Filed Sept. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 16 gwwnto'a Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED stars-s mews RAYMOND GAB-13S, F KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING- CRATE OR 0001?.

Application filed September 15, 1926. Serial No. 135,629.

The present invention relates to a folding crate and aims to provide a novel and improved device of this character which can be conveniently and efficiently collapsed or folded when not in use so as to take up a minimum amount of space, said crate being more particularly designed for use as a poultry coo for shipping poultry therein.

Anot er object of the invention is to pro-' on line 99 of Figure 3.

In carrying out the invention,the'letters r vide a crate having its end walls hingedly connectedto one of the side walls so that said end walls may be folded inwardly against the side wall when collapsing the crate, while the top and bottom walls each comprise two sections pivotally connected to the side walls and hingedly connected to getherby links to fold inwardly, the aforesaid end sections when arranged in operative position and engaged by catches supporting the top and bottom walls against folding or collapsing movement; 1 a

A further object of the invention isthe' provision of a folding coop or crate con structed of metallic strips for forming frames in connection with slats or strips of wood or metal secured to said metallic members, said metallic frames being arranged to support the crateor coop at its corners as wellas providing hinge connections for the various folding sections. I It is also an object of the provide a coop or crate of the above indicated character, which-is simple andsubstantial in construction, which can be manufactured economically, and which will bethoroughly,

;'right angles so as to provide means for rigeflicient and practical in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the descrip-' t1on proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and. arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without depart ing from the spirit'ofthe invention. 7

The invention is illustrated in" the accom 'panying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of improved crate showlng the same in operative arrangement,

Figure 2 is ahori zontal' section through the coop or crate,

Figure 3' isan' end'elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing thev end walls folded inwardly,

Figure 5 is "a similar view to Figure 4:

invention to.

illustrating the manner in which the top and bottom Walls are folded, Figure6 is an end elevation showingthe crate in folded or collapsed position,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectio taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3, V Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 88 of'Figure 3, and- Figure 9 is a fragmentarysection taken Aand B designate the top and bottom walls respectively, the letters C and D the side walls respectively, and the letters E and F the end walls. The various walls are formed by series of slats or strips of light wood or the like, as indicated by the numeral 10, connected at their ends-to metal angle bars, as hereinafter described. Secured to the opposite ends or the slats or strips 10 that form the side walls G and D are angled metallic members 11 and 12, those at theends of the side Wall C being designated bythe numeral 11 while those secured to the side wall D are designated by the nu meral 12, and they are attached to the slats or strips 10 by means of rivets 13, as in- 14 and15, which extend partially along the top and bottom walls respectively. The portions 14 and-15pare constructed from the main angled member 11 and are arranged at angle extension 16 at'itslower end' serving the samepurposeas the portions. 14 and 15.

Hingedly connected to the ends of the portions 15 of the angled members 11 and to'the- 100 portions 16 of the'angledmembers 12 are 1 angle bars 17 and 18 respectively, con-nected together by short link members19. The portions15and 16 of the angled'metalliomem- 'bers 11 and 12 and the angle bars 17 and 18 105 have-securedthereto slats or strips 10fby means of rivets, or the like, for forming the bottom wall of the crate or coop.

The top'wall A of the coop'or crate is sup 7 ported by angle bars 20 and 21 hingedly con- 110 nected at their outer ends to the portion 14 of the angled member 11 and the upper end of the angled member 12. The slats forming the top wall of the coop or crate are secured to the portion 14 of the angled member 11 and to the angle bars 20 and 21, and the inner ends of the latter are pivotally connected together by a link 22.

It is to be noted by referring'to Figure 2' of the drawings that a similar angle bar to that provided at the opposite ends of the slats or strips is also provided intermediate their ends, as designated bythe numeral 23, said intermediate angle bar having extensions similar to the'portions 14 and 15 of'the angled member 11 and the portion 16 of the angled member 12 to permit the efficient folding or collapsing'of the crate. I i

The slats or strips 10 forming the end walls of the coop or crate havetheir opposite ends secured 'to uprights 24 and 25, the uprights '24being hinged'ly'connected, as at 26, to the slats or strips 10 forming the side wall C so as to permit said end walls to be folded inwardly and lie in close proximity to the -in-- ner side of said side wall, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. The end walls E and F are hinged to the side wall C by securing small plates 26 to the top of the portion 14 and bottom of. the portion 15 of the angled members 11 so that said plates extend over and under the uprights 24, with pivot pins 26 extending through the plates and into said uprights 24. Arranged on the ends of the end wall opposite tov that'where' the same are hingedly connected to the-side wall C are small latch or locking members 27 which are adapted to be turned over the outer faces oft-he angled metallic members 12 so as to hold the end walls E and F in extended or operative position. also have secured thereto intermediate their endsat the tops and bottoms thereof metal The endwalls E and F catches 28 thebent ends 29 of which are adapted to engage the links 22 of the top wall and the links 19 of the bottom wall, as clearly shown in'Figure 1 of the drawings in orderv to properly hold the top and bottom walls A and B againstmovement when the end walls E and F are in operative position.

On the angle bar ofthe topwall a pair ofremovable slats or strips 10are adapted to be placed topermitpoultry to be put into and takenfrom the coop'or crate, and so that these slats'or strips 10 may be removable a pair of metalliestrips 30 are secured to the tops of permanent slats or strips 10 of the top for the slats or strips to be slid thereunder. f Under each of the metallic strips 30 is a small block '31 for aiding improperly spacing saidstrips from the metallic sections 20.

Attached to the angled members 11 at the opposite ends of the crate or coop are bars 34 which extend parallel with the end walls E and F and have their free ends bent to form hooks 35 for engaging theangled members 12 to hold the crateor coop infolded or collapsed position.

y In operation, when it is desired to fold or collapse the crate the small latches or locking members 27 are turned so as to disengage themetallic, angled members 12. When the latch or locking members 27 are in this position, theend walls E and F may be swung on their hinge connections with the side wall Cso as to lie in close proximity to the inner side of the sidewall C, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings and in full lines in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings.

When the end walls are swung in such positi'on, the metallic members 28 have disengaged the links 19 and 22 so that the metallic frames supporting the top and bottom walls A and B may also be folded. 7 By referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, it .can be seen:

how the top and bottom walls A and B are swung so as to fold the same. It is to be noted that by providing the portions 14 of the an gled, metallic members 11 ofrelatively long length that the top wall A when folded will be spaced a sufficient distance from the side wall C so as to permit the foldedbottom B to extend between said top wall A and side wall C when the crate is collapsed or folded; The lengths of the portions 14, 15, and 16 are sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the top and-bottom walls A and B. when folded. It can be seen that it is not necessary to. provide a lateral extension at the upperend of.

the angled, metallic member 12 as the angle I bar 21 and the strips or slats carried thereby will be folded in closecontact with the side Wall D, but, at the opposite side of the crate it is necessary to provide suflicient space to accommodate the end walls E and F. By providing the links 19 and 22, it can be seen that-when the top and bottom walls A and B are folded they are ofa length to -accommothe latch or' lockingmembers 27 to engage a over the flanges of the members 12, said end walls willbe held in rigid or permanent position. During the swinging of the end walls outwardly, the .angled portions 29 of the members 28 will engage over the links22 and under the links 19 so as to hold the top and bottom walls A and B against swinging movement on their hinged: connections From the foregoing, it can be seen that I have provided a crate which is strong and durable in use, and which may be folded or can take coops home in his car or truck saving him sulficient space to carry back home whatever he may need from the city, thereby saving him extra trips for supplies or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A folding poultry coop comprising angleiron corner posts to which the sides are attached, the corner posts at one side of the coop having inwardly projecting end extensions of different lengths and those at the other side having inward extensions at the lower ends only, end sections pivotally adjoinin the first mentioned corner post to fold inwardly against the side wall connected to said corner posts, a bottom comprising angle bars to the underside of which the boards are attached, said angle bars being pivoted to the lower extensions of the opposite corner posts, and links connecting the inner ends of the angle bars; together with a top comprising angle bars connected by links and to the upper side of which the slats are a t-c tached, metal catches engaging the aforesaid links when the parts of the coop are extended for use, and hook-ended bars attached to the ends of one of the side sections of the coop to engage the other side section ofthe coop in folded arrangement of the latter.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my) signature.

RAYMOND GARBS. 

